CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Carolina Panthers head coach Ron River has been nominated for the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame class by the National Football Foundation.
Rivera was a first-team All-American for the University of California in 1983, as well as a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which is awarded annually to the best college football linebacker or lineman. Rivera led the Golden Bears in tackles from 1981-1983 and was named the Pac-10 Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 1983.
“It’s an enormous honor to just be on the ballot when you think that more than 5.26 million people have played college football and only 997 players have been inducted,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “The Hall’s requirement of being a First-Team All-American creates a much smaller pool of about 1,500 individuals who are even eligible. Being in today’s elite group means an individual is truly among the greatest to have ever played the game, and those actually elected to the Class will be part of a momentous year as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football in 2019.”
The 2019 ballot includes 176 players and 38 coaches across the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision and divisional ranks. Other notable names with Carolina ties on this year’s ballot are Torry Holt (NC State), Ken Huff (North Carolina), Jim Carlen (South Carolina head coach 1975-81), Kirk Roach (Western Carolina), and Clarence Stasavich (Lenoir-Rhyne, East Carolina). Click here to view the entire 2019 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.